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In an effort to balance the county’s budget, the DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Department has proposed that the Board of Commission close five of the counties recreation centers. The centers proposed for closure are:

The Tobie Grant Recreation Center located at 644 Parkdale Drive in Scottdale.

The Briarwood Recreation Center located at 2235 Briarwood Way in East Atlanta.

The NH Scott Recreation Center located at 2230 Tilson Road in Decatur.

The Mason Mill Recreation Center located at 1340 Mcconnell Drive in Decatur.

The Lucious Sanders Recreation Center located at 2484 Bruce Street in Lithonia.

However, until the commission actually votes on these proposed closures, the centers will continue to operate, as usual. These closings were proposed along with a tax increase of $2.32 million. If the commission approves these closures, personnel from these centers will be absorbed or eliminated.

Parks and Recreation has been working with local non-profit organizations and if the proposals are approved, these centers will house programs implemented by those non-profits. According to DeKalb County Director of Communications Burke Brenner, “basically, we will supply the building and they supply the manpower”, which will eliminate the operating costs (ie: salary and hourly wages) needed to staff these centers.

Parks and Recreation say the practice of allowing non-profit organizations to “step in” and run their programs has proven to be effective at the Community Achievement Center on Flat Shoals in Decatur; that center was adopted by the Decatur Alumnae Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta and Kappa Alpha Psi.

The Board of Commissioners meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Manuel J. Maloof Annex Auditorium located at 1300 Commerce Drive in Decatur.